Vulnus Vitae
by OperationMarketGarden
Summary: Josef wants to save Sara, but he needs something from Mick, his blood and his fangs. Rating for later chapter, may go up depending on reader requests.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Post Sleeping Beauty and the Mortal Cure. Could Mick's blood reawaken Sara?

Josef couldn't believe it his best friend was standing in front of him bleeding. Mick was human, Josef could hear Mick's heart pumping the blood through his body and he could smell the freshly shed blood. When Mick had told him about Coraline he couldn't get himself to believe it, but she must have found it for here Mick was standing in front of him smelling as human as the freshies in the next room. He hadn't been able to smell him coming, which just added to his surprise when Mick walked through the door. He couldn't believe it, he just couldn't.

"Man I wish this wasn't temporary!" Mick had hardly noticed that Josef wasn't paying attention. He had seen Beth at Josh's funeral and the bruises had made it obvious that his normal vamp healing capability was not working properly. But the timing wasn't right to do much more then let her know. She was still in the grieving process and finding out about the planned proposal had not helped either.

"Wait! Did you say it was temporary?" Once Josef had realized that Mick was indeed standing in front of him human the next thing he had thought about was Sara and whether or not this cure could help her.

"Yeah, but I wish it wasn't! I had a steak today; I had forgotten how good steak tasted! Oh and the feel of the sun on my skin! I can't believe how good it felt, for once I didn't feel like I was going to throw…." Mick couldn't keep quiet for once he was just too excited.

"If it is only temporary, how long does it last?" Josef wanted all the information he could gather.

"I dunno." Was all Mick could say.

"What do you mean you don't know?!" Josef has to know as much as possible and whether or not he could use it.

"Hey calm down, I mean I don't know. Coraline didn't tell me. If I knew I would tell you." Mick couldn't figure out what had gotten into Josef.

"Well do you have more? Some we can analyze?" What was he thinking? He should stay as far away from this cure as possible. Some vamps like Mick saw this as a cure but many would see it as a potential threat. But all he could think of was Sara lying alone back in New York trapped within her own mind for over fifty years. He couldn't help it; he loved her.

"I don't, Coraline and her _brother_ took all she had." He responded with a sigh, "but I did take a few samples of my own blood now that it has been changed."

"Good, good" Josef was half talking to Mick and half talking to himself. "Let me take one of those samples and see what I can do with it." Mick pulled out a vial from his breast pocket and handed it over to Josef. Josef took the vial with all the grace and agility that his years as a vampire had gained him. He walked over to one of the removable wall panels behind his desk and reveled a hidden mini refrigerator that contained a few pints of blood. Mick's eyebrows raised when he saw the bagged blood."

"It is one of many secret emergency stashes around here, but I still prefer the freshies when I can get them." With that comment he turned his back on Mick and placed the vial in the 'fridge and replaced the panel. "I will let you know if I find anything. And I hope I don't have to mention how discreet we have to be on this." He was staying at Mick with more intensity that usual.

"I know." Was all that Mick said.

"Good… So how does it feel to be human again?"

"Good…but it hurts." Mick grabbed at one of his broken ribs as he said this. "I forgot how much more painful it can be to be human. But I would take this over being what I was any day."

"Don't forget this state that you are in is only temporary and you are still a vampire." Josef gave his friend a serious look.

"I know, I know." Mick didn't want to Josef to ruin this for him, but he understood what Josef was telling him. "I should probably get going. There is some daylight to still take in and I want as much as possible before this stuff wears off."

"Sure, I understand, leave the night stalker all alone, you did wake him up and get him out of his nice cool refrigerator in the middle of the afternoon." Josef was being sarcastic and Mick gave him a half smile and a chuckle as a response.

"Just make sure you let me know if you find anything." With that Mick walked out of Josef's office with the scent of his human blood trailing after him.

A/N: This is my first Moonlight Fanfic please R&R. I am open to all suggestions and I want to make sure that you readers think that it is worth continuing. Let me know what you think. Life is fairly busy right now but I will post again ASAP.


	2. Chapter 2

It had taken months, and Mick had long since turned back into his vampire self, all bee it reluctantly, but Joseph believed he had the derivative. It was not the same one that Coraline had given Mick, regrettably the plant used to create that handy little concoction was long since extinct. However, he had created a version very similar from a plant within the same genetic family; he had also converted it into a serum so that it could be injected directly into the blood. Now that he had the serum it was time to test it out, but that was what worried him. He had worked so hard and so long to possibly free Sara from her mental cage that now that it might actually happen, he was scared. If it didn't work what hope would he have left?

The serum that he had created would turn Sara human again, but she needed to be a vampire in order to heal, meaning she would need to be turned again, to bring her from partial night stalker to full embodiment of that title. He couldn't be the one to turn her again; he couldn't bring himself to fail her again. He had not wanted her to be a vampire, not truly, he didn't want to expose her to the violence of the lifestyle, Joseph believed that it was this hesitance in him that prevented him from being able to successfully turn her. He needed someone he could trust, who had fangs, to do the job for him. The only person he could think of was Mick. He knew Mick never wanted to sire another vamp; he hated being one himself. He also didn't know what Mick would do when he found out he had recreated Coraline's wonder drug. There was no alternative he had to call him.

Joseph pulled his blackberry out of his breast pocket, speed dialed Mick and waited for the call to connect.

"Yeah?" was all Mick said when he picked up the call.

"St. John, I need you to come into my office; I have a favor to ask of you."

"Joseph, just tell me what you want."

"I don't want to be overheard, meet me at 10:00, my office."

"Fine."

Mick spent the next few hours wondering what was so important that Joseph wanted to him in person. He had only been able to distract himself when Beth had called. They were getting close again; she had needed some time after Josh's funeral, but she was opening up to him again. They were friends, but more and yet not, he didn't know what to call what they had, he was just glad that she hadn't permanently removed him from her life.

When 10:00 finally rolled around Mick was right on time. Josef didn't like things any other way.

As Mick entered Josef's office it was oddly quiet and he only smelt Josef. These circumstances were highly unusual for Josef, usually he had half a dozen minions running around doing his bidding and at least one freshie hanging around, but there was no one, at least no one other then Josef. It was at that very moment when Mick realized how very important and very confidential the conversation he was about to have was.

Joseph was sitting in his desk chair facing the window, but turned to face Mick as he entered his office.

"So are you going to tell me what this is all about?" Mick felt uneasy, something wasn't right. He was even a little nervous over what Joseph wanted him to do.

"Can I offer you a drink?" Mick shook his head in response. "Ok, then I will just get right to it. I need you to sire someone." Joseph was straight-faced and staring Mick directly in the eye as he said this. Mick's only response was to stand their aghast. When he finally remembered how to move his mouth all he could say was

"Who?"

Joseph remained calm and collected as he responded with "Sara."

"Sara? But you have already sired her. How is my attempt to sire her again going to change her condition? Both know that will achieve nothing."

"Not if she is human when you sire her." Joseph waited for the gears to turn in Mick's head and make the connections he needed him to. He did not want to explain to Mick that he had been able to make the serum.

Mick was once again in shock, the second time in less then five minutes. When he recovered from this one he was unable to remain calm. He was angry and frustrated.

"You figured it out! You figured it out and you didn't tell me. How long have you had it and not told me!"

"Mick, I am telling you now." Joseph had to work to remain calm, what he wanted to do was throw Mick up against the wall. "I had to make sure it worked first."

"Where is it?" Mick was completely distracted now; he could be human again.

"Mick the supply isn't endless. It takes a lot of time to make a very limited quantity, and we can't let the vampire community know we have it." Joseph didn't want to spend his time discussing this, he wanted to know whether or not Mick was going to help him in New York.

"You are going to give me some?" Mick said this less as a question and more as a demand. Joseph just sighed, he knew that he was going to have this conversation but was hoping he could avoid it.

"Yes, Mick I will give you some, but you must realize that I cannot give you enough to allow you to go around as a human all the time. Plus you have to realize that the vampire community must not find out about this or some will see it as a weapon." Joseph was very emphatic as he told Mick this, he wanted to make sure that he drove this point home.

Mick steadied himself as he said this and realized that Joseph was making a very limited quantity, for if the more he made the more likely someone would figure out he had it.

"I understand." Mick was still excited but calm as he said this.

"Do you really?"

"Yes."

"And will you help me with Sara?" Joseph was searching Mick's eyes as he said this. He needed an affirmative answer. Mick had been taken aback. He had completely forgotten what Joseph had initially asked him to do. He knew that this wasn't a business deal and that if he said no Joseph would still give him the substance. He also knew that Joseph loved Sara. This wasn't just anyone he would be turning. This was also a show of Joseph's trust in Mick, it was Mick who he wanted to fulfill the deed he couldn't do himself. Also, Sara wanted to be turned, she was willing. Sara had wanted to be a vampire, had begged Joseph/Charles for the opportunity. Now Joseph was asking him.

Joseph was quiet as Mick stood there thinking it over. It felt like an eternity as Mick weighed the decision over in his mind. He did not move nor did he take his gaze from Mick as he waited for an answer. Finally, it came.

"Yes." It was so small a word and came so quickly that for a moment Joseph hadn't believed he had heard it.

"What?" Joseph had to make sure Mick had agreed.

"I said I would do it."

A/N sorry it has been so long since my last update!!! I will try to update quicker next time. Please leave reviews!!


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